Mayo's, St Mary's Asylum Hospital, Castlebar, Ireland Radio Documentary.

Presented & Produced by Tommy Marren & Ronan Courell, this is the story of St Mary's Hospital, Castlebar, which opened as the Castlebar Asylum in 1866. It became the Castlebar Mental Hospital in the 1920s and it went on to become St. Mary's Hospital in the 1950s. After the introduction of deinstitutionalisation in the late 1980s the hospital went into a period of decline. For those who worked in St Mary's Hospital, it was a town within a town. Behind those high walls, the patients contributed to their own way of self sufficiency, but for residents of Castlebar an element of curiosity existed. They wondered what was really going on behind those big high walls. This is the Story…

[@mariaobrien284]

Elizabeth Thornton and myself Maria Joyce OBrien. have finally learned what happened to our great grandad Patrick Joyce. I won’t forget and will speak of him to those who knew he died in the mental institution. I am proud of my ancestors., I am ashamed of those who said “ I never heard of him “. because they were ashamed to admit Patrick died in the mental hospital. Rest In Peace my dear Great Grandad Patrick Joyce. Your wife and young daughter are buried in Elm Hall Cemetery, Belcarra, Castlebar . Your son Joseph and his wife Delia are buried in that cemetery too. May the light of heaven shine above you and all patients in St Mary’s, and God be good to you all..
Maria Joyce OBrien, Dublin , daughter of your grandson James born Clonduane. Belcarra. and Elizabeth granddaughter of Mary (Maye) Joyce. born Clonduane., Belcarra . 22:16

[@ronancourell]

@@mariaobrien284 thank you 🙏🏻

[@mduill9253]

May they rest in peace

[@aljolson6613]

Maggie may ,lot's of people knew ,and all was traceable when it came to LAND

[@Karafleur]

This is so interesting thank you. I think my great grandfather may have worked here as a 'mental hospital attendant' from the 1920s. He lived in Castlebar and that was the profession given on a few documents so I'm just guessing that it was here that he worked.

[@aljolson6613]

And a few thumps, doesn't sum it all up . Adults are all messed up,nothing has changed in mental health .